Ice Skate with Me
by Writerwithagoal
Summary: When Evans teaches Potter how to Skate.


"this is my first time at the ice skating (maybe on the black lake) and I've fallen on my butt at least 34 times so far but you keep skating around me like a fuckin pro au"

Lily loved winter, it was probably her favourite season. It was a time when she didn't have to worry about exams or midterms. One could argue that she didn't have to worry about that during summer break either but there was a stress in summer to get ahead and to study just a bit so that she stayed at the top of her class. Winter though, winter was truly a moment to relax and take in the world that she didn't often get to see. As she walked through the School grounds, the gentle snow fall kept her from feeling blue as she reread her mother's letter that had come with the gifts that they'd sent her. She had to stay at Hogwarts this Christmas, Petunia had raised a fit at the thought of Lily coming with them to the Dursleys Cottage in Southampton for the holidays and honestly Lily was a little relieved she wasn't going to have to make polite conversation with the odious Dursleys. Her mother had stressed that they hoped to see her during the end of winter break, if she could come out; read if Petunia didn't pitch a hissy fit about her crashing the wedding preparations.

Honestly, she didn't mind staying at Hogwarts for the Christmas season, the common rooms were always decorated in beautiful colours and the great hall smelled of mince pies and treacle tarts throughout the break. She'd spent one other holiday at Hogwarts and it had been magical. This year though she'd gotten the letter the night before she'd been supposed to leave with her friends to Kings Cross. She'd waved off her friends concerned looks as she slipped from the common room to go speak with Dumbledore and get the permission to stay in the dorms for the holiday.

On her way, back from Dumbledore's office she'd decided to take the long way back and had been walking through the courtyard when the snow started to fall. She'd slowed her already round about walk to allow the snow to blow away the tensions she'd been feeling after talking to Dumbledore. She loved her parents, but she wished that they would stand up to Petunia more, especially when it came to her coming home for the holidays. Shaking her head, she slipped through the doors of the Castle and up the stairs to the third floor and the entrance of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Fortitudine unitur." The Fat Lady grinned at her as she swung open to allow Lily into her warm and quiet common room. The only light from the tunnel was the main fireplace and there didn't seem to be another soul in the room. It was almost eleven and she knew that most of the other students would be in bed since it was after curfew, also the train left Hogsmeade at half past eight the following morning.

She unwound her house scarf and shook her hair out from the confines of her hat as she hummed a Christmas carol. She had started to unbutton her coat as she moved towards the stairs which lead to the girls dormitories and her own bed, when a cough broke through her musings. Turning she raised an eyebrow as she looked at the two boys sitting cuddled on the couch, Sirius and Remus had come out as dating at the start of their sixth year. She hadn't been surprised knowing that they were both fond of each other since fifth.

"You're out late Miss Head Girl," Sirius drawled looking at her over the lip of the couch.

"Should I worry about having to deduct house points for being out past curfew," spoke Remus shifting so he could look at Lily from over Sirius's head.

"Hey guys, no, I had to talk to McGonagall and Dumbledore, it turns out I won't be going home for Winter Holiday after all." She tried to smile at her friends, she and Remus had been friends since, second year when he'd caught her crying in an empty corridor after some nasty teasing from a few older girls from Ravenclaw. Sirius and she had grown close when they'd confided in each other during detention in third year about how shitty their families were, well his beat hers by a long shot but the commissary had been evident. Both boys sat up at the comment about staying at the castle alone for Christmas and New Year's, they shared a look before looking back at her.

"Hey now Lils', you shouldn't be alone for the holidays that's—," she held up her hand interrupting Sirius's comment.  
"Thanks, but I don't want to impose on anyone and I know that you are all going to be traveling around for Holidays. I already told the girls no." she offered them a sincere smile. "I'm looking forward to having the common room to myself and to be able to catch up on some reading that I've been meaning to get into." She shook her head walking backwards towards the stairs.

"If you're sure, I mean I know my mum would love to see you again." Remus said offering her a small smile to let her know it wasn't a false invitation.

"I'd offer my place but seeing as my mom would probably kill you I was going to offer, that I stay here with you," Sirius said winking and blowing her a kiss.  
"Thanks guys, I love you both, but I'll be alright here."

Waving at them she turned and fled up the stairs to her dark dorm and changed for bed quickly before diving under the covers and praying for sleep to come quickly. Her prayers were answered and she was asleep before she could count the first sheep.

The next morning the sun streaming across her bed woke her up as Alice, Marlene, Mary and Dorcas were tiptoeing around her getting ready to go home. She appreciated that they wanted to let her sleep in since she didn't have to be anywhere but she would have been crossed if she hadn't had the chance to hug them goodbye. Slipping from bed she smiled at Marlene who looked up at the movement and grinned back.

"You birds weren't really going to leave me here without a goodbye?" she said, giggling as the other three girls looked over at her.

"I already talked to my parents Lil, if you want you are welcome to visit at any point during the month of break," Alice said smiling as she hugged Lily

"My mum and dad said the same," Marlene echoed as she stepped up to hug her best friend.

"Same here, my parents love you," Dorcas and Mary chimed in together before bursting into giggles and pointing at each other as their laughs proved infectious to the other girls.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll be alright here, I enjoy the quiet and the peace of Hogwarts at Christmas time anyway."

She wrapped herself in her coat and walked with the girls and the other students to the front entrance of Hogwarts where the carriages were waiting to take them all down to the train station. Smiling, she stood with Professor McGonagall as they waved the student filled carriages away. Once they were a suitable distance she and McGonagall walked back to the school parting ways in the foyer. McGonagall went off to get her things to go home herself to visit her aunt and nieces in Edinburgh. Lily meandered back through the castle to her empty dorm and decided to go through the package that her mother and father had sent with their letter of apologies.

In the package were five small presents all wrapped in highly festive paper, and wrapped in a felt bag were her skates, Lily loved skating and if she was honest it was her favourite part of winter. Normally when she was home from school, her father would take her to the local ice rink and they'd skate the afternoon away. Smiling she glanced out at the snow-covered grounds as the frozen Black lake below. Grinning to herself she grabbed her skates and her gloves.

Lily Evans was never going to be considered overly athletic and she was often considered quite sport inept if everyone was honest. However Lily Marie Evans was an excellent ice skater. She had taken lessons and before Hogwarts had even tried figure skating for a while. After testing and strengthening the ice, she sat on a root of the big Willow Tree as she slipped her skates on and testing the fit she pushed herself off the trunk of the tree and took off around the lake. Her hair leaving a blazing flash of red as she spun around and raced herself around the ice. She stumbled one on a frozen ripple in the ice and coming to a quick stop she pulled her wand out quickly casting a smoothing charm flattened the ice and left it with a silvery glow.

James Potter had slept through his friends leaving and since he was staying at Hogwarts this holiday season while his parents were on a top-secret mission for the Order, he had opted to just stay at the school instead of the empty family home. Once he'd pulled his Puddlemore jumper on and a pair of comfy slacks and trainers he wondered to the window at the fork in the stairs where the cases diverged for the different genders dormitories. As he gazed out at the grounds and the lake he caught sight of something quick and red flashing on the lake in figure eights. Intrigued he grabbed his coat, gloves and scarf. Racing through the freshly fallen snow towards the Black Lake. As he got closer, he could make out that the red was actually hair and belonged to a person. Once he was at the shore of the lake he paused. Spinning in a tight circle was Lily Evans, Head Girl and tentative friend.

"Oy! Evans!," he shouted. He cringed though when his shout caused Lily to startle and she stumbled but didn't fall. Confused she looked around before her eyes fell on him. Skating over she sprayed him with ice shaving and grinned at him.

"Don't you know not to scream at someone when they're ice skating?" she asked hands on her hips as she breathed heavily.

"Honestly no, considering I've never heard of ice skating."

"Wait seriously?! Wizards don't ice skate?"  
"Not that I know of, I know I haven't ever done it or seen it."

"Here, step on to the ice I'll teach you how."

"Evans I appreciate the offer but I don't have the right foot wear it seems."  
"Nonsense, that's easily fixed." Lily pulled her wand from her pocket and cast a quick transformation spell on his trainers and grabbed his hands as his trainers became smooth black ice skates, "there now you have skates."

James rocked a bit even though she was holding her hand as his centre of gravity suddenly shifted. Looking into Lily's bright green eyes he offered a half smile. He gripped her hand tightly as she started to skate backwards pulling him out onto the lake.

"Push with your right foot and then glide," Lily said smiling as she let go of James' hands to demonstrate what she meant.

Skating a few feet away from him she turned sharply to smile at him. James pushed off with his right foot and slowly made his way towards her. On his second push off he picked his left foot up as though he was going to step and fell flat on his arse. Groaning he looked at Lily who was covering a smile behind her scarf. Pushing himself up off the ice, he struggled to get the hang of skating.

Lily finally took pity on him and showed him how to skate, showing him the basics one glide at a time. It took a couple hours, but soon James could go up and down the lake without falling every time he tried to move. He was having fun skating with Lily and watching her glide, twirl and leap across the ice. She had never looked as graceful as she did in those moments. James would know he had been watching her since they first bumped into each other on the train at the start of first year. There was an eerie peace that seemed to come over her as she moved around the lake.

Later that day, it was almost evening the sun low over the mountains at the end of the lake Lily glided to a stop at the trunk of the big willow tree. James stumbled and more or less crashed into the trunk as he watched Lily take her skates off and pull on her boots. Glancing down at his own skates he took his wand and murmured _'finite incantation'._ It felt weird to suddenly be back in his trainers and as he went to step onto the snow he realized he should have done this off the ice. With one foot in the air he crashed to the ice landing on his arse hard infront of Lily for the 34th time or so.

"Ice skating is a lot harder than you make it look," he said grumpily as he used a hanging branch to pull himself up and off the ice.

"It just takes more than a few hours of practice to get good, that's all."  
Lily grinned at James and held out her hand as she stood up and dusted off some snow, her skates over her other shoulder.

"Fancy joining me for a drink, ey Potter?" she said giggling as his jaw fell open.


End file.
